Will Be
by La Editor
Summary: Sakura and Itachi, and why maybe running away isn't giving up after all.


_Warning right now: out-of-character characterizations abound._

This story, written in July of 2007, was a type of response to the countless amounts of stories written for the Itachi-Sakura community that are completely out of character. It's a bad way to write, and a worse influence - if I may allow myself the ego to believe I may possibly influence anyone with this story - but was an attempt at a point. A bad point? Yes. Yes it was. In an attempt to keep with the intentional out-of-character theme this has held, however, I didn't delete it (I was honestly confounded by the amount of people that reviewed and liked this story, which I am always forever thankful for), but rewrote this to not only improve an awful story, but to hope that this can show that there might just be a way to write out of character not quite so... out of character. Did I hit the nail on the head? Maybe. It's up to you. As always, this is the result of my awful love for pairing the silent criminal with the annoying girl when, in reality, they would probably strangle each other from sheer frustration. Apologies to Kishimoto for the massacre of his once-good storyline.

Rewritten October, 2008.

* * *

Will Be

i

Medic-nin are not supposed to get sick.

Just like fish are not supposed to drown, or birds are not supposed to forget how to fly.

Medic-nin are not supposed to get sick.

Itachi is worried, which is a type of miracle, in of itself. It's an emotion from him, of all people, and he can attribute it to Sakura's unwitting influence, and maybe she has shown him how to have a heart. He is worried because of this malevolent virus circulating the country; Sakura only laughs at him and tells him that she's at the top of her game. She'll be fine, and don't worry so much.

And she's right.

ii

Sakura overstayed her limit by one week, for recuperating purposes. The cold was a nasty one, and his organization is used to her and even maybe grateful for the care she shows for them, something most of them don't understand as well as, she thinks, they might like to. Yet she is welcome there; despite overstaying her limit, she has never overstayed her welcome.

A week is a week either way, and she lies to Tsunade later that her sickly aunt _insisted_; she was lucky she didn't end up staying the whole _year_, and who was she to deny such warm hospitality?

Tsunade's striking hazel eyes gaze at her student, her pupil, her sometimes-daughter. Tsunade knows the untruth in the words, Tsunade understands the lie. She doesn't know why, or (more importantly) who, but her curiosity takes a backseat when she notices how Sakura has often organized paperwork without being asked, and how the girl so often has a spring in her step. The girl is a careless ripple in a pond under the sun; she is alive, and Tsunade wouldn't trade it for the world.

iii

The rain slides smoothly down the sky, like running paint on canvas. They sit together, and she is not herself, but a pale, silent thing sitting awkwardly beside him. Despite this, he is comfortable. She isn't crying, because she isn't weak like that anymore, but it hurts bad. And Itachi has this way of looking at her that makes it hurt worse like ripping a band-aid off, or maybe putting alcohol on a cut to clean and help it heal.

And - oh, Naruto. Sai, Yamato, Kakashi, she thinks. We failed. We finally failed. Naruto's only true brother, and she failed him - she failed her second brother, too. She failed them both. Goodbye, Sasuke. I apologize, she thinks to the sky, where he no doubt is because he would rather burn alive than have the snake man inside of himself.

We all have our personal demons, he reminds her.

They contemplate this together, silently.

iv

Ino is a nosy, sneaky imp, a devilish pixie in disguise. Her friends know this well enough. Sakura thinks she probably knows this the best.

The blonde girl knows when her best friend is hiding something, mainly because she's started standing up all the dates Ino has worked _so hard _to set up for her, and usually Sakura guilt trips herself badly enough to at least meet them, so what's up? Ino swirls her water around her glass aimlessly, eyes set upon the features of the ninja girl sitting across from her.

Ino wants to know, and she promises to secrecy. They shake on it, just in case - grasping hands, kissing their thumbs and spitting on their wrists (we need a new handshake, Sakura reminds her friend as she wipes the glob of saliva onto a napkin) - and Sakura settles back, wondering how on earth she could say this.

But her best friend is understanding, in the way only sisters could be. Sakura lets it all out in a heavy mass, laid out in the air in front of them, everything in the open and written in the space and the silence. As she whispers that everyone has a heart, with hers so plainly laid out on the table, she breathes when Ino's eyes soften.

They talk, and it is explained. Sakura feels unburdened when Ino slowly smiles.

v

A lot of times, the need for an open, intelligent conversation - the true basis of their sort of odd relationship that has grown to something different - drives Itachi to Konoha. His fanciest genjutsu is far from their radar; he waltzes in under their noses, often with a traveling band of merchants or travelers, and he traverses the familiar road to an old apartment, second floor up and third window from the left.

He unlatches the window and his feet land on the mats soundlessly, the genjutsu sliding from his visage like water to show himself. He has noticed, lately, that the prominent lines running from his inner eyes, signifying lack of sleep, have lightened. He keeps his hair longer now not because his father wanted it shorter, back then, but because he likes it better. It is his own decision, just like much of his life is now.

He finds her asleep on the couch, sprawled across it gracelessly with an arm dangling off and a leg oddly angled against the floor. Looking down, he waits for a moment before prodding her with the toe of his boot, and is unsurprised when she disappears and he senses her behind him. She lets out a foolish and embarrassed chuckle as he sits and she sits on the ground beside him. They talk, and the sound soothes him as he closes his eyes.

vi

If medical ninja do not get sick, then the highest class of criminals most_ certainly_ don't catch colds. Itachi muses at the irony of this thought stream as he silently hands Kisame a tissue; the man sneezes and curses promptly as Deidara plucks the tissue from Kisame's hands and blows his nose. Hidan groans and coughs into Deidara's face. More cursing ensues vigorously.

Their days have been uneventful and quiet, and Itachi has been surprised that the men he shares a living space with are so content. Then he thinks, and remembers how Deidara has one little piece of browned clay shaped like a miniature cat he has never blown up, how Kisame has a small, worn feather he keeps hidden under his forehead protector, how he has seen Zetsu tend to a small, sickly flower in a chipped pot and how he has seen the odd man smile almost nakedly as the flower slowly straightened towards the sunlight.

The living quarters is small. They will no doubt split up one day - probably soon, when they hear from Paine in Rain Country - but they are content here. Itachi carries in a paper bag full of herbs, teas, soups, and medicine. The kettle is put on to the stove, and the hot water bubbling inside is inviting on a cold day like this.

The sick men, from their separate places in the small apartment television room linking to the kitchen, ask Itachi what he has for them in varying degrees of annoyance, tiredness, and slight hope. The Uchiha replies that Sakura has sent them a care package.

There is silence, after this. She has been welcome to their ratty home, and the remembrance of her saying that everyone has a heart hits close to home on them all.

vii

Tsunade's curiosity is a bit like a guilt trip, and one Sakura doesn't want to deal with. Ino says it best herself: "Forehead girl, if she's so curious, she has to be ready for the worst, and she has to be asking you as a mother. Not as Hokage. It's as simple as that."

Sakura likes this train of thought, clean as a fresh water pond, but the minute she sees the doors to the tower, she bolts.

Ino runs after her, eventually slowing down to a stop to catch her breath from laughing.

viii

Deidara thinks - no, he knows, because he's almost always right - well, not always, but pretty darn - well - Deidara believes that Itachi's time as a missing ninja is going to eventually end. A mastermind like that? Always has to stop with a bang, he tells whoever is willing to listen (who turns out to be a clearly uninterested Zetsu) dismissively. Too smart to go out with one, just decides to stop. They're all snarky bastards like that, yeah.

Deidara, if he were to ask himself, would also find that he is slightly jealous. He is not jealous of finding a girl, because he is confident he could if he ever desired to, but he is jealous of the escape. Sakura and Itachi build a new bridge together, and they aren't afraid of falling into the waters below at all - falling into the river that will carry them to shore is their safety net. He has been content lounging around and doing things he hasn't had time to pursue when the organization has been active, and these lethargic days are something he secretly cherishes.

But Deidara enjoys the thrill of the ride. He enjoys the explosions, and maybe he's too young to truly understand the want to finally stand on his own two feet and leave - not that he would admit this or anything, and in fact, why is he even saying this out loud? Deidara isn't a sap.

Zetsu wisely doesn't comment.

ix

Whether any of the involved party likes it or not, the remains of Akatsuki and Sakura are - again, whether any of them like it or not - friends. The word is used too lightly during life in Zetsu's opinion, but in the life of a ninja, perhaps it is different. They aren't close, but they have formed a bond, and Zetsu understands that they need this. They're human, and gods help them for being it, but they can't change it - even him and Kisame, the inhuman looking monstrosities they are - _they are human_.

And humans need friends, whether any of them like it or not.

Sakura sits them down one day to discuss their diets, and she explains what organically cultured food is. She also explains what partially hydrogenated means, as well as what hot dogs are made of. Then, in true medic-ninja style, she takes them out to learn how to grocery shop.

She does it because she is probably too kind, but she cares about them. And, in their own awkward ways, they care for the girl as well. They're so, so painfully human. They need the reassurance of friendship, but it isn't always give and take. Sometimes it is give, and expect nothing in return; it's similar to giving life water to a thirsty bud, and having the privilege to watch it grow.

They are so, so painfully human. And he is happy to accept it.

x

Ninja work is suddenly boring. Missions are suddenly beneath him and her; they have better things to do. Places to go. Things to discover. It takes seeing a village slowly die of infection for the both of them to realize this on one of Sakura's infrequent but welcome visits - it has shaken them slightly, and they aren't used to being rattled.

Itachi's ring is left on the bare table. A curt note, scrawled '_goodbye - also, Sakura says to check the fridge_,' is all that is left of him. However, despite this loss, they are more willing to forgive him and not kick his ass into next Tuesday _as hard_ the next time they meet him after devouring Sakura's parting gift. And she even left the nuts out of the cake, Kakuzu can't help but notice.

Tsunade wakes from her drunken stupor to find the midmorning light filtering through the windows; a paper is stuck to her cheek with drool, and she peels it off to find a signed - by her! - sheet of formal resignation. From Sakura.

She runs into the empty apartment and finds a note, stating in prim writing, '_I'm happy - no need to send anyone after me, I promise I'll keep in touch; any questions, ask Ino-pig, who has my permission to open that big mouth of hers. I love you all - goodbye for now. PS -__ he told me to tell Tsunade-shishou to ask Danzou about October 12th, seventeen years ago.__'_

Tsunade thinks. And realizes the date of the famed Uchiha Massacre.

She sits, and finds herself letting out a little bit of rain from her eyes, falling in free droplets to the ground, and she can let her guard down for this moment. She lets herself out before calming, bringing it back in, and sweeping away from the empty place.

And the missing people are gone away. They aren't sure if they finished building that bridge or fell into the river, or maybe a little bit of both. They don't much care, either.

It is only on the edge of Iwa, standing on a cliff face with a waterfall rushing beneath them, that the pair stops. Smiling fully, Itachi enjoys the rush as they race down the rocks, speeding towards the river beneath them.


End file.
